


The Train

by SunshineAndRoseWater



Series: The Road to Recovery [1]
Category: Fall Out Boy
Genre: Gen, Post-Apocalypse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-18
Updated: 2016-02-18
Packaged: 2018-05-21 11:22:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6049768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunshineAndRoseWater/pseuds/SunshineAndRoseWater
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Joe wants Andy to keep going. Andy just wants to get off.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Train

**Author's Note:**

> I've really been neglecting Joe, he's totally in this story. This scene takes place way before anything else I've written so far. I wanted to give ya'll some Joe and Andy feels.  
> If this is your first time reading this series: welcome, I promise it gets both sadder and happier.

“You've been staring at that for a while,” Joe points out.

Andy glances up sharply, startled. Or, as startled as he gets these days. The last few weeks have hardened him. He barely reacts with anything like sadness or shock. He barely reacts at all. It's starting to worry Joe.

Andy glances back down at the gun, then quickly away to the open side of the train car and the scenery racing by.

“You should rest,” Andy says.

“No, you should,” Joe says. “You've had too many sleepless nights lately. I can keep watch.”

“I'm fine, man.”

 _No, you're not._ Joe thinks. “C'mon, I can take over for a little while. We'll be totally fine. I'll even wake you up before we get to the stop. Just give me the gun and go lie down.”

Andy's grip on the gun tightens. “I said I'm fine.”

Joe crawls forward a little. “Andy, you're starting to worry me.”

Andy scoffs. “I know how to handle a gun, Joe.”

“That's... That's not what I'm talking about.”

Andy studies his face. “Dude, I'm not gonna off myself. You guys need me. I've gotta get you guys somewhere safe.”

“And what then?” Joe asks. “What about after you get us somewhere safe?”

Andy shrugs, looking away again. “You won't need me anymore.”

“So when you think we don't need you anymore you're going to off yourself.”

Andy resumes staring at the passing scenery. “My family's dead, Joe,” he whispers, voice small.

It's the first time he's said it out loud. It pains Joe to hear him so wrecked.

“You've still got us,” Joe says. “You've got Matt and your entire band. We're your family, too. You can't just leave us.”

“It's not-”

“No,” Joe admits, “it's not the same as having your mom, I know. Believe me, I know. But would you leave us? Would you intentionally leave us, forever, because of that? Because that's what killing yourself would be.”

“I...” Andy takes a deep breath. “What do you want me to say?”

“That you're not going to do it. That you're not going to leave us. And I want you to mean it.”

Andy still hasn't looked at him. His jaw works slowly as he grinds his teeth together. He's gripping the gun with white knuckles.

“Andy,” Joe prompts, “give me the gun. Please.”

Andy doesn't move. Joe is beginning to think he never will, that he'll just sit there clinging to the gun like it's his only security even after the train finally stops running. Then he moves. He loosens his hold on the gun and flips it around so that he's holding the barrel with the grip pointing at Joe. He holds it out. Joe takes it. Andy gets up and begins making his way around the boxes to the back of the train car where the rest of their friends are asleep.

“Andy,” Joe calls softly, “I'm not going to let this go.”

Andy doesn't look up. “I know.”

Andy continues to the back and Joe takes over his post. They have at least four more hours before they reach anything worth getting off for. It's not much, but it's probably more hours of sleep than Andy's gotten at a time in weeks. Joe hopes he takes advantage of it.

**Author's Note:**

> Did my work make you feel emotions? Come talk to me about it on my tumblr: [sunshinedontcare](http://sunshinedontcare.tumblr.com/)


End file.
